Kentucky and West Virginia Women Aim for Sweet 16

Teams seek elusive March Madness milestone

Mar. 22, 2026 at 9:49pm

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Kentucky women's basketball coach Kenny Brooks believes his team has the talent around star center Clara Strack to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats and West Virginia Mountaineers are both aiming to reach the Sweet 16, a milestone that has eluded both programs in recent years.

Why it matters

Reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA women's basketball tournament is a significant achievement that can elevate a program's national profile and recruiting power. Both Kentucky and West Virginia have talented rosters but have struggled to break through to that level in the past.

The details

Kentucky is led by junior center Clara Strack, who doesn't have to shoulder the entire scoring load thanks to the team's depth. West Virginia is also hoping to make its first Sweet 16 appearance in program history after falling short in recent tournaments.

  • The 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament is currently underway.

The players

Kenny Brooks

The head coach of the Kentucky women's basketball team.

Clara Strack

The junior center for the Kentucky women's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“Clara Strack doesn't have to focus on scoring because there's plenty of talent surrounding her.”

— Kenny Brooks, Kentucky Women's Basketball Head Coach

What’s next

The winners of the Kentucky-West Virginia matchup will advance to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament, a milestone that has eluded both programs in recent years.

The takeaway

Both Kentucky and West Virginia have talented rosters capable of making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, but reaching the elusive Sweet 16 will require them to overcome past tournament disappointments and capitalize on their current strengths.